Assessing the Potential of Value-Based Purchasing, Phase Two

Value-based purchasing (VBP) includes a range of activities through which health care purchasers use information about quality in the contracting process or use their purchasing power to drive quality improvement. In a previous project, the investigators classified VBP activities and, through interviews with a small group of health sector leaders, identified characteristics of organizations with successful programs as well as barriers that prevent VBP's broader use. In the next phase, they will: (1) perform more systematic surveys of 2,000 large and 1,000 midsize firms and employer consortia to prioritize barriers, examine why more employers are not engaging in VBP, and determine whether VBP is a viable purchasing model; and (2) conduct case studies of 18 successful programs identified in the previous phase to examine how barriers can be overcome. Based on these findings, the project team will then develop a guide for employers that outlines an array of VBP strategies tailored to firms' characteristics and needs. With wider adoption of VBP by employers, a greater number of workers and their families would have access to high-quality health care.

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Grant Details

Grantee Organization:
Thomas Jefferson University

Principal Investigator:
David Nash, M.D. and Neil Goldfarb

Award Amount:
$151,268.00

Approval Date:
November 11, 2002

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Mission

The mission of The Commonwealth Fund is to promote a high-performing health care system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency, particularly for society's most vulnerable, including low-income people, the uninsured, minority Americans, young children, and elderly adults.